Standing NATO Maritime Group Two have performed a series of exercises in the Central Mediterranean and Aegean Sea, say NATO.
Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2), deployed in the Central Mediterranean and Aegean Sea since the end of March, have been engaged in a two day series of exercises in the area with the forces of Greece and Turkey.
“The two Group’s units in the area, ITS Fasan and TCG Salihreis, conducted a PASSEX (Passing Exercise) with the Greek frigate Navarinon, consisting of different scenarios of tactical engagements, simulating multiple threats, including an air defence exercise against two aircrafts of the Hellenic Air Force F-16C/D.
The three ships battled challenging weather with strong wind and rough sea in the west of Crete. SNMG2 also exercised with two units from the Turkish Navy, the frigate Gaziantep and the fast patrol boat Ruzgar, in a complex sequence of communication and manoeuvring drills. This was performed near Aksaz Naval Base, where ITS Fasan and TCG Salihreis then sailed to perform a logistic stop. The SNMG2 and the two Turkish units demonstrated their inherent capability to train successfully under a very high standard of performance.”
“The exercises that we are conducting during our deployment are part of the core business of NATO and the Standing Naval Groups: training continuously with the Allied nations forces, building and maintaining our capability to quickly integrate and act together,” said Rear Admiral (RADM) Paolo Fantoni, Commander of SNMG2.
“This is paramount to the objective of providing NATO with a ready Force at sea.”
SNMG2 currently consists of frigates ITS Fasan, TCG Salihreis and HMCS Fredericton.
Turkey must be a very confused country at the moment. Democracy or dictatorship? NATO or not? Russian Ally or not? Greek Ally or not? The fall out from the Syria conflict, refugees and the impact on the relationship with the EU?
It’s not a relationship with the Eu it’s a business deal, people for money. Genuinely disgusting dialogue even happens with that regime.
Turkey certainly has the potential to go either way, it’s meddling in Libya and Syria both show it has desires way beyond its borders.
I’m sure they are a bit like us in that they where once a great empire and suffer a bit of nostalgia.
They probably feel they should have a lot more influence in the middle east than they had and certainly dont want Syria and Iraq to become a proxy state for Iran.
They are also the gatekeeper to Europe so probably frustrated at being kept on the outside and now happy to play everyone off each other to maximise their influence.